Tinnitus (ringing in the ears) decisions — 2020

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of onset or aggravation during active duty, ACDUTRA, or INACDUTRA. The Veteran's current hearing loss and tinnitus are not related to his National Guard service.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete medical opinions regarding service connection.

The Board has remanded the cases of bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus due to incomplete records and inadequate examination. The Veteran's service exposure is not specified.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in the VA examiner's opinion and the need for further clarification regarding the Veteran's service connection claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not meet the threshold requirement for a TDIU as they are not shown to be of such severity that he is unable to secure or follow substantially gainful employment.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to scheduling issues with VA examinations.

The Veteran was granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability for the period prior to January 23, 2020 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Veteran is granted a total disability rating based on individual unemployability from September 1, 2008 to July 30, 2019 due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board dismissed the claim for service connection for tinnitus as it was granted in a prior decision. The claims for bilateral hearing loss and ulcerative proctitis were both granted.,Service connection is established for bilateral hearing loss, with reasonable doubt resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's appeals for service connection for bilateral hip and right ankle disabilities have been dismissed. The appeal for tinnitus has been granted. Appeals for initial ratings of anxiety disorder and CAD are being remanded.

The Veteran's cause of death (COPD and congestive heart failure) is not considered to be related to his service, but the Board has ordered a remand for further examination and opinion regarding whether any of his service-connected disabilities contributed to his death.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and COPD with bronchitis due to inadequate VA examinations. The Veteran must be provided new VA examinations based on a review of his medical records.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that there is no evidence of a current disability during or within one year after his military service.

The Board dismissed the appeals for tinnitus, bilateral hearing loss, and hepatitis C as they are no longer relevant due to the appellant's death.

The Veteran's claims for PTSD, traumatic right eye glaucoma, left ankle sprain, right ankle sprain, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, left foot sprain, and right foot sprain are being remanded due to the need for further development.,Service connection for prostate cancer is also being remanded.

The Veteran's claims for service connection and increased ratings are being remanded due to the need for additional examinations and medical opinions. The issues of hearing loss, tinnitus, traumatic arthritis of the left knee, partial loss and use of lower extremity, low back pain, right knee pain and stiffness associated with traumatic osteoarthritis of the left knee, anxiety disorder, a pain disorder, and major depressive disorder are being remanded for further development. The denial of service connection for PTSD remains unchanged.

The Veteran's tinnitus is remanded due to the inadequacy of the March 2017 VA medical opinion, which did not consider his lay statements about noise exposure during service.

The Veteran's hypertension, bilateral hearing loss disability, tinnitus, hepatitis C with cirrhosis of the liver, gastroesophageal disability (including GERD and Barrett's esophagus), heart disability other than CAD (paroxysmal atrial fibrillation), and erectile dysfunction are all granted. However, due to insufficient evidence, several issues related to these conditions have been remanded for further development.

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further examination and opinion regarding service connection for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and right foot and toes disability due to lack of a fully-informed decision.

The Board has remanded the claims of service connection for left knee disability, low back disorder, bilateral hearing loss disorder, tinnitus, PTSD, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to their complexity or need for additional development.